Latch



April 24, 1928. 1,666,985

- w. w. AYOTTE LATCH Filed May 21, 1926 Inventor ninety degrees.

Patented Apr. 24, 192s.

UNITED STA WILLARD W. AYOTTE, or M DALE, (SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA.

LATCH;

Application filed May 21,

The present invention relates to a latch particularly designed for use with a closure at the bottom of the return elevatorof athreshing machine.

An important object of the invention is to provide a latch of improved structure which will I securely hold a closure and which'is' capable of being very quickly and easily released when desired.

A still further very important object of the invention resides in the provision of a latch of this nature which is an exceedingly simple structure, that may be manufactured at a low cost, one which is thoroughly reliable, and efiicient in its operation, and one which is not likely to easily become out of order, and is otherwise well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed;-

With the above and numerous other objects in View as will appear as the description proceeds the invention resides in certain novel features of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be'hereinbefore more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1' is a side elevation of a threshing mechine showing my improved latch structure association therewith, and

Figure 2 is a sectional elevationof the lower portion of the return elevator of the threshing machine showing my latch partly. in section and partly in elevation, and,

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 2 at an angle of approximately Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the letter T designates a threshing machine including among other elements, a return elevator E, the bottom portion 5 of which is provided with an opening 6 associated with which is a closure 7 hinged as at 8. A pair of brackets 9 is fixed on the bottom 5 adjacent the opening and have pivoted thereto a pair of links 10. the outer ends of which are bent inwardly toward each other as is indicated at 11, and have pivoted there between a shank 12, one'end of which is looped to form an eye 13 providing a handle, while the other end'thereof is twisted at a right angle and curved to form an eye or loop 14. An arcuate hook 15 merges into a shank 16 which is fixed tothe closure 7 adjacent the free end thereof and on the exterior surface thereof.

When the parts are fastened is shown 1926. Serial No. 110,750.

in full lines in Fig. 2, the handle 13 may be swung outwardly, that is, in a counter-clockwisedirection to the releasing position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. To fasten the device, the parts are placed .as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the loop 14 is engaged with the hook 15 and the shank 12 swung downwardly.

It is well known that the return elevator of thresher often becomes crowded because of being fed too quickly and therefore will clog up and throw off the belt that drives it. This necessitates the man, who runs the ma chine, to shut off the power to keep from clogging the rest of the machine with chaff and fine straw. He must then go back to the separator and unscrew two thumb screws which hold the lowergate' of the return elevator shut.

When this has been opened, he must climb on top of the separator and turn thesmall wheel by hand until the elevator is cleaned. All this takes from five to ten minutes and then the belt must be replaced and the gate cllosed with said two thumb screws and all of t iis, in the fall of the year, machines are in operation, is very valuable.

With the use of my improved latch, when the return elevator clogs, the man who is operating the machine does not have to run to the englne and shut ofi the power to keep from clogging. the rest of the machine with chaff or straw. All he has to do, is just jerk the latch lover or shank 12 upward1y' so that the gate or closure 7 drops down, and then all the man has to do is to climb on top of the machine, put on the belt, in order to run out the chaff by the machines own power, and then get down and close the latch in the quick manner as heretofore indicated. This all can be donein a minutes time It is thought that the construction, operation, utility, and advantages of this latch will now be clearly understood by those skilled with the threshing machine art. The present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed because in actual practice it has fully attained all the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above 'description. of construction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Obviously, changes in the details of course takes additional time. Time when these threshing Having thus described my invention, What- I claim as'new is A latch of the class described ineludinga-- pair of brackets adapted to be attached to a 5 support, a liook 'a'da pted tobattadidtO closure or gate, links pivotally engaged With said brackets, ashank pivoted intermediate its ends to the extremities efthe links, one end 01'' said shank 'belng' twisted itt'l'lgllfi angles and bent to form a loop for engaging saldhoolr. f x

In tes timnjy whereof I are); m s gnature.

WVILLARD W. AYO TTE 

